euphemism
Other forms: euphemisms
Pardon me, but when a polite term is substituted for a blunt, offensive one, you should call it a euphemism.
Euphemism is from Greek euphemismos, meaning "good speech," and it's a way that we paper over uncomfortable things with more pleasant-sounding words. These days we tend to use euphemisms when talking about anything having to do with elimination of bodily waste: toilet, bathroom, and water closet were all originally euphemisms. The military is also notorious for using euphemisms, like saying "neutralizing the target" instead of "killing someone."
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an inoffensive or indirect expression that is substituted for one that is considered offensive or too harshantonyms:dysphemisman offensive or disparaging expression that is substituted for an inoffensive onetype of:
- MLA
- APA
- Chicago
Vocabulary lists containing euphemism
Nick Carraway rents a summer house in Long Island where he befriends his mysterious neighbor Jay Gatsby, a self-made millionaire who hides behind an extravagant and decadent lifestyle.
You'll be able to express yourself with style once you learn these rhetorical devices and tropes. This vocabulary list covers a wide range of techniques used in formal speech and writing, from alliteration to zeugma.
